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Research Reports

Explore funded research, reports, and evaluations addressing some of education's most pressing issues. This special collection of literature is made possible through IssueLab, a service of Foundation Center. Sign up for updates to find out about new publications added to the collection.

Explore funded research, reports, and evaluations addressing some of education's most pressing issues. This special collection of literature is made possible through IssueLab, a service of Foundation Center. Sign up for updates to find out about new publications added to the collection.

Colleges and universities should embrace the concept of increased openness in the use and sharing of information to improve higher education. That is the core recommendation of this report. The report was produced by CED's Digital Connections Council (DCC), a group of information technology experts that advises CED's business leaders on cutting-edge technologies.

Based on discussions among education, government and technology leaders and others, outlines the potential of digital learning to close the achievement gap; basic elements, including student access and personalized learning; and policy actions for each.

Proposes an online learning-assisted model in which students advance by demonstrating mastery of subjects based on clear, measurable objectives and meaningful assessments. Examines innovation drivers, challenges, and philanthropic opportunities.

This paper offers an opportunity for state leadership to reflect upon their efforts and share their insights into re-engineering the policy and practices of our K-12 systems that were built over hundreds of years. In this paper, we introduce the concept of competency education and explain why the traditional time-based system is holding back our children and our nation. We will discuss the important initial steps taken by states in introducing competency education. Then we will draw on interviews with state leadership about their strategies, lessons learned, and the emerging policy infrastructure that is needed for full alignment with competency education. We close with some thoughts about creating a culture of competency within state agencies.

Presents survey findings about the views of college presidents and the public on the value of, prevalence of, and experience with online learning, as well as the role of the Internet and related technologies in education and prospects for future growth.

The burden of education policy largely falls upon states that adopt academic standards, establish teacher evaluation systems, develop accountability systems, and shape funding streams. State policymakers play a critical role in accelerating the adoption of different approaches to teaching and learning, designing school and class structures, and improving student outcomes. Changes in public policy can have a dramatic impact upon the spectrum of delivery of instruction, student outcomes, and the pace of innovation.

State policy can either remove barriers to innovative approaches or it can stifle them with restrictions, red tape, and reinforcement of traditional, unsustainable approaches. It can either accelerate reform or it can further entrench the status quo. Without changing state policy, innovation will fail to be scalable. Pilot programs and proof point projects will generate flashes of interest, but will not be able to disrupt a system that is protected by legacy regulations that guide the structure, funding, and decision-making within education.

Digital Learning Now! created the Digital Learning Report Card to evaluate each state's progress in advancing reforms aligned to the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning. The intent is to provide an annual summary of state laws and policies to better understand what states are doing to create a policy ecosystem that embraces new education models, promotes the use of technology to meet the needs of all children, and breaks down the barriers that constrain student-centric innovation. The Report Card is also intended to drive discussion and debate around the best approach states can use in their unique circumstances to leverage technology to improve student outcomes. By building awareness, Digital Learning Now! hopes to mobilize parents, students, teachers, school leaders, education entrepreneurs, other education reform leaders, and policymakers behind the spirit of the 10 Elements and demand progress for their students.

For a century, most students have advanced from grade to grade based on the number of days they spend in class, but in New Hampshire, schools have moved away from "seat time" and toward "competency-based learning," which advances students when they have mastered course content. This report profiles how two high schools in New Hampshire made this shift and examines the changes that were necessary to make competency-based advancement an important part of New Hampshire's strategy for implementing the Common Core State Standards and ensuring that students graduate ready for college and a career.

Based on a year of conversations with more than 100 leading thinkers, practitioners, and entrepreneurs, this report explores the state of e-learning and the potential it offers across all sectors of our economy -- far beyond the confines of formal education. Whether you're a leader, worker in the trenches, or just a curious learner, imagine being able to access exactly what you need, when you need it, in a format that's quick and easy to digest and apply. Much of this is now possible and within the next decade, just-in-time learning will likely become pervasive.

This report aims to inspire you to consider how e-learning could change the way you, your staff, and the people you serve transfer knowledge and adapt over time.